John George Bennett

Who was John George Bennett?

John George Bennett was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He was Bishop of Lafayette in Indiana from 1945 to 1957.

John Bennett was born in Dunnington, Indiana, and studied at St. Joseph's College and St. Meinrad Seminary. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 27, 1914. He was a curate at St. Peter Church in Fort Wayne, pastor of St. Joseph Church in Garrett, and defensor vinculi of the Diocese of Fort Wayne.

On November 11, 1944, Bennett was appointed the first Bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Lafayette by Pope Pius XII. He received his episcopal consecration on January 10, 1945 from Bishop John F. Noll, with Bishops Francis Ridgley Cotton and John Francis O'Hara, C.S.C., serving as co-consecrators. He remained in this capacity until his death twelve years later, aged 66.